Following the money in San Diego mayor's race gets yet more interesting as heavily partying Republican Manchester writes weighty check to California party committee

As reported here two weeks ago, the folks over at the local Republican party seem to have become the town’s unrivaled masters at moving cash around in creative ways that, whether intentional or not, have the effect of obscuring the moneys' origin and destination.

The big cash switch was made on July 30, with a transfer of $70,000 from the county GOP's federal committee where the funds were originally deposited and itemized by contributor, to its state-regulated committee, called the Republican Party of San Diego County, where no itemized donor list was provided, effectively concealing the actual identities of the well-heeled contributors and amount of their donations.

A footnote to the federal filing says:

"This transfer from our federal to non-federal account is to fund activities in support of local candidates."

"These funds are being used only in support of such candidates and are not being used to influence the election or defeat of any federal candidate."

California disclosure records show that on the very same day, July 30, two San Diego city council campaigns, those of incumbent and special Wal-Mart friend Lorie Zapf, running in the newly re-drawn second district, and Chris Cate, employed by the San Diego County Taxpayers Association, the downtown lobbying outfit closely linked to Terry Brown, received a total of $70,000.